Doug Cockle, the iconic voice behind Geralt in The Witcher series, has passionately defended the decision to spotlight Ciri in the upcoming The Witcher 4. Addressing the backlash from some fans labeling the move as "woke," Cockle dismissed such criticism outright, urging detractors to delve into the source material for a deeper understanding.
"That's just stupid," Cockle remarked about the negative reactions to CD Projekt's choice to feature Ciri as the protagonist in their next role-playing game. He emphasized that the shift to Ciri is rooted in the rich narrative of Andrzej Sapkowski's novels, not in any political agenda. "It's not woke. There's nothing woke about it. [Ciri]'s a cool character from The Witcher, and they're gonna focus on that character, and that's awesome," he stated in a video released by Fall Damage.
Cockle, who will reprise his role as Geralt in The Witcher 4, albeit not as the main character, highlighted the importance of evolving the series beyond Geralt's story. "We can't just have Geralt for every single game for The Witcher ad nauseam, out through eternity," he explained, noting that Geralt's journey concluded with Blood and Wine. He expressed enthusiasm for Ciri taking the lead, celebrating her as a compelling protagonist and dismissing the "woke" accusations with a dismissive raspberry.
The decision to center The Witcher 4 around Ciri, who is set to headline the next trilogy, stirred controversy among a vocal minority. However, Cockle suggested that this choice aligns with the expansive world Sapkowski created, offering unexplored stories and dimensions of Ciri's character that were only hinted at in The Witcher 3.
"If you read the books, then you understand why CD Projekt went down this avenue," Cockle advised. He encouraged fans to read Sapkowski's novels, praising their quality and suggesting that doing so would dispel the notion of the game's direction being "woke."
CD Projekt's games take place after the events of Sapkowski's final novel, yet the author has distanced his work from the video game adaptations. Nonetheless, both Sapkowski and CD Projekt recognize Ciri's significance, positioning her as a central figure capable of carrying the narrative forward when Geralt's story pauses.
In previous discussions with IGN, CD Projekt's franchise and lore designers, Cian Maher and Marcin Batylda, elaborated on how The Witcher 4's timeline aligns with the established lore, ensuring a coherent continuation of the saga.
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